Batting coach Graham Thorpe has conceded that captain Alastair Cook might have got his tactics wrong at the end of England's dramatic one-wicket defeat in the second one-day international.

England were on the brink of securing their first win over Australia this winter only for a stunning 57-run last-wicket stand, between James Faulkner and Clint McKay, to snatch away victory.

Faulkner took the lead role as he smashed 69 from 47 balls, with all five of his sixes struck off Ben Stokes.

Faulkner was able to line up the Durham all-rounder, who bowled unchanged through the final 10 overs, and back-to-back maximums in the penultimate over reduced the task down to 12 from six balls.

Tim Bresnan's first three deliveries then all raced to the boundary to pile on yet more misery for Cook and his side as they slipped 2-0 down in the five-game series.

"I think if Alastair looked at it he'd be honest about it - maybe if he re-ran it again, the last part of that game, he may do things differently," Thorpe said.

"We'll chat later about it.

"At the same time you have to give an enormous amount of credit to Faulkner, who played fantastically well."

Cook and his England colleagues have little time to dwell on the defeat with the series on the line in Sydney on Sunday.

Thorpe and the coaching staff have a tough job in lifting the players for the quick turnaround, and the 44-year-old former Test batsman knows anything but full commitment will most likely end badly again.

"The game comes again tomorrow. If we're not in the right state of mind it will be a very tough game for England," he said.

"If the guys are in the right state of mind and they're ready to look Australia in the eye again and get out there and perform, and play with pride, and keep developing themselves as cricketers then we'll stand a good chance tomorrow night.

"It's not the time for us to sulk and feel sorry for ourselves. We have to stand up and keep going forward."

Stuart Broad is set the return on Sunday after his two-game break - to provide instant experience to the bowling department - while Eoin Morgan has pulled up well despite going off with a tight calf following his century at the Gabba.

Thorpe hinted new faces could come in - after England were unchanged in Brisbane - as the tourists balance trying to find a winning formula with testing some of their young squad before next year's World Cup in the Antipodes.

"That's what we're trying to find out," he said.

"We haven't had a big meeting about it today, but come tomorrow we have to look at the side which we pick.

"Do we need to change things for tomorrow?

"Part of this is learning about players and can they stand up in this environment and perform? That's what we have to find out on this trip, for our planning when we come back (for the World Cup).

"It's not just the immediate series, which is not lost.

"I think if we can stand up and actually win tomorrow's game it would be an enormous achievement and show enormous strength in the side.

"We have to demand that from the players. When you put on an England shirt that's what you have to do."